Does anyone else hate team-employed baseball announcers?

Question

I've always felt it's totally unprofessional for broadcasters to openly root for one team over the other. Just give me facts, stats and analysis. Leave the rah-rah crap for the sports bar. I usually don't even watch local broadcasts of games anymore. Most of the games I watch now are on ESPN or Fox because the announcers are neutral, or at least try to be.

Answer 1

Whatever. On a regional level, the announcers cater to the fans. Stop listening to regional broadcasts then, simple as that! Who else is going to employ the broadcasters? ESPN doesn't show every Braves game. So now what? You make no sense at all. Of course National Broadcasters will have neutral Announcers. Not rocket science my friend.

Answer 2

I like the home town broadcasters if for no other reason then the fact that they know the players on the team and the history of the team better. National broadcasters don't know jack about any teams other then the Yankees, Red Sox. They are also much more apt to talk about things I care about like minor league players that might come up. I'm a Twins fan, and Dick Bremer and Bert Blyleven are probably the two most entertaining anouncers to listen to in my opinion.

The only thing I don't like is that they can be very appologetic for the home players and coaches even when it's obvious that they are terrible.

Answer 3

I grew up listening to Marty Brenneman and Joe Nuxhall on the Reds broadcasts in the 70's and 80's (they teamed from 1974 to 2004). They see the game through the eyes of the fan as the team's broadcsters should. The national broadcasts know that they are delivering the game to a mixture of fans and as such describe the game through the eye of objectivity.

Answer 4

It depends on the teams you watch. Some are really worse than others. This isn't baseball, but if you've ever watched a Milwaukee Bucks game (or Utah Jazz), those have to be some of the most team biased announcers I've ever heard. It's crazy!

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Answer 5

I totally agree with you. First, local people aren't going to stop listening to their team's games if the announcers are objectively announcing the game. Second, those of us stuck listening to them -- you know what I mean. No cable or stranded somewhere or stuck with a radio or something -- cringe all through the game. It's like eating tin foil to listen to those guys. Yuck!

Answer 6

Rod Allen & Mario Impedma do a great job broatcasting Tigers games. They will flat out give kudos to the other team when they are getting the job done.

And Mario is NOT afraid to say what is wrong with The Tigers; WHEN something is wrong.

Answer 7

The local announcers are usually being watched by local fans. It's good that they show enthusiasm. Helps keep the fans intrested in the crappier teams.

Answer 8

Listening to Vin Scully is more than just watching a game, he provides many stories of many players on the field such as how eric byrnes woke up at night one night to find a robber going threw his things and how he chose to fight instead of pretending to sleep

Answer 9

Sorry I disagree.....
Rod and Mario from Detroit, tell you like it is..... even it isnt so great for the Tigers. But at the same time, its great to hear my team "boosted up"

Answer 10

ahh, let me guess...like those guys who does the Chicago Whitesox baseball broadcast? hehehehehehe. ya, i know what you mean....
vin scully, rick monday and charlie steiner are my favorite broadcast crew...GO DODGERS!!